For 45 years, the Mwangi Cultural Center has been the social and cultural meeting space for African American students at Smith. Named for Ng’endo Mwangi ’61 (pictured center), Smith's first African student and the first Kenyan female physician, the center will be rededicated on Friday, April 6.

President Kathleen McCartney responded to a New York Times op-ed by David Brooks in which he describes a new form of identity politics on college campuses that entails “a tribal oppressor/oppressed story.” McCartney writes, “On my campus, students do not see themselves as victims; rather, they are activists for full inclusion for all.”

In an article for Quartz at Work, Saadia Zahidi ’02, head of the World Economic Forum's gender equality campaign, says a major factor in the passage of Iceland’s new law making it illegal to pay men more than women was a commitment to investing in talent. “Talent, human capital, is very precious,” she says. “I think they have taken the approach where you don’t want to be wasting any of that talent.”

Students in last semester’s Logic 100 class were presented with an interesting question: Would having to defend an opinion that wasn’t your own help you understand that opinion better? To find out, professors Jim Henle and Jay Garfield held a “hat debate.” Says Henle, “It’s logic outreach. We’re promoting the joy of arguing.”

Start 2018 off right by redefining your career or your life with the help of resources from the Office of Alumnae Relations. Attend webinars, connect to the Smith College Business Network and find out details about this year’s leadership conference. Smith faculty and staff may also register for some events.

“Contemporary Women in Islam: Politics and Identity,” a conference being held at Smith College on Feb 9–10, will focus on the contributions of Muslim women to modern Islamic thought, the accomplishments of Muslim women, and the challenges that lie ahead. Speakers include Muslim women from academia, the arts and journalism. Preregistration for Smith students, staff and faculty ends Jan. 12; open registration for the public is Jan. 12 to Feb. 2.

Selected items from the news media featuring Smith College people and programs